Be brave like Richard, not blind like Napoleon, Ron Prosor says at UN Security Council

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Ilan Ben Zion
Ilan Ben Zion is a news editor at The Times of Israel. He holds a Masters degree in Diplomacy from
… [More]Tel Aviv University and an Honors Bachelors degree from the University of Toronto in Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations, Jewish Studies, and English. [Less]

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Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations on Tuesday called on the European Union to take a bold but simple step and designate Hezbollah a terrorist organization.

Speaking at a UN Security Council debate on the protection of civilians in combat zones, Ambassador Ron Prosor told world leaders that “calling Hezbollah a charity is like calling al-Qaeda an urban-planning organization because of its desire to level tall buildings.”

“One does not need the fortitude of Richard the Lionheart to do the right thing here,” he said, referring to the legendary English crusader king in an attempt to convince the EU to change its policy.

Prosor referenced the Bulgarian government report on last summer’s Burgas bombing, which unequivocally held Hezbollah responsible for the deaths of five Israelis and a Bulgarian bus driver as well as the injury of dozens of other innocents, calling it “the deadliest attack on European soil since 2005.”

“Not since Napoleon invaded Russia has the European continent seen such an astonishing lack of foresight” in not adding Hezbollah to the terror list, he said.

Turning to the slaughter in Syria, a hot topic at the panel, Prosor said “Hezbollah has provided arms, training, and logistical support for tens of thousands of Assad’s men. It has assisted the Syrian military in cracking down on dissidents so that Assad can cling to power.”

“It does not take a Nobel Peace Prize laureate to realize that we are not exactly dealing with a selfless humanitarian organization.”

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also told the Security Council that “every day [in Syria] provides a searing reminder of the human cost of war.”

“But, let us remember: the obligation does not rest solely with warring parties. We all have a responsibility to protect,” he stated. “Failure to protect civilians in armed conflict can contribute directly to the commission of atrocity crimes.”

Prosor closed on a similar theme by quoting Edmund Burke: “The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.”